Capitation comes after the NRW election?

If the GKV capitation is introduced after the state election in NRW?

(09.05.2010) Today are state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia. It looks like a "head to head" race of the big parties. If the CDU and FDP lose mass votes and a new state government is formed in NRW, the majorities in the Bundesrat are also changing. A central theme is likely to be the long planned by the FDP introduction of a lump sum in the health system. In this context, the lump-sum per capita means the introduction of flat-rate health care contributions irrespective of the insured person's income. So a "good earner" would pay exactly the same contributions as a "low earner".

This year, a rich deficit of the statutory health insurance is expected. Despite a one-off federal subsidy of 3.9 billion euros, a deficit of 3.1 billion euros is expected for 2010. At the beginning of the year, the first health insurances have already collected an additional contribution from their insured persons, and more are likely to follow. For 2011, the deficit in the health fund should be as much as 11 billion euros. According to the coalition, even up to 15 billion euros could be missing in the health fund. But the federal government is currently silent on how to refinance the real collapse of the health insurance companies. If one were to convert this amount, an additional burden for all SHI insured persons of 291 euros per year would remain. The first SHI insurances are therefore already demanding premium increases for regular health insurance contributions. Hardly to accomplish especially for insured who just now live above the subsistence level, because they earn too little.

But the federal government is silent. Any information on whether a capitation is introduced is blocked. Only and alone is reported that in perspective, the employer's share of the GKV insurance contributions should be frozen. This means that all additional contributions, whether with or without capitation, are paid on the insured's back. This effectively overrules the basic social consensus. Meanwhile, Federal Health Minister Philipp Rösler has already announced that the capitation fee is not "anti-social" because it wants to support the socially disadvantaged with social compensation. If all those eligible for social assistance were now supported, the additional cost of tax revenue would be estimated at between € 20 billion and € 40 billion. In question for this compensation come e.g. around 94 percent of the renter.

Furthermore, plans are concealed, which aim to take certain benefits out of health care. In line with the FDP, insured persons should pay for health benefits themselves. The health insurance should then only be a primary care. All other benefits should insure the insured privately. Here, too, social inequalities reveal themselves. While the "basic insured" receives only a basic care because he can not afford more, the high earner is well taken care of, because he can also insure privately. It remains exciting - also in terms of health care - as the election in NRW will go out. (Sb)